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Publicis Groupe has secured the majority of Pfizer’s creative account from Interpublic, positioning itself in the leading lane of the ad industry this year. Just last year, Pfizer, buoyed by the success of its COVID-19 vaccine, enlisted IPG for creative work and Publicis for media and “creative production.” In 2023, Pfizer allocated $3.7 billion to advertising.
The term “creative production” hinted at potential shifts, which were confirmed when Publicis was awarded the ‘Outdo Yesterday’ Super Bowl spot.
Now, Publicis holds almost all of Pfizer’s creative responsibilities, except for health-related work, which remains with IPG, along with PR duties. Pfizer, grappling with a 40% revenue decline post-COVID, maintains its two-agency model, with Publicis and IPG continuing their respective roles in driving integrated marketing communications focused on science and innovation.
Despite this, Pfizer likely retains the flexibility to collaborate with other agencies for creative needs. However, this development is a significant setback for IPG, which is already facing challenges like zero growth and job cuts.
Meanwhile, Publicis continues its upward trajectory, now valued at $27.5 billion, outpacing Omnicom at $19 billion, Interpublic at $12.5 billion, and WPP, the largest by revenue, at $10 billion.